Eden Harzard is having a very good start to a season – but the Chelsea playmaker doesn’t consider himself to be among the top five players in the world.
The 23-year-old has been richly involved in Chelsea’s impressive opening to the new Premier League campaign, and was chosen as man of the match in their recent derby against Arsenal.
The Belgian feels he needs to be more decisive in every game to match the players he ranks as the top five in the world.
‘I’m not a top-five player yet,’ said Hazard. ‘Maybe I’m close to it, but I still have to work on some aspects. You can only be part of that group if you are decisive in the top games. I (have started) doing that, like I did against Manchester City and Arsenal.
‘Who are better than me? The two extra-terrestrials, (Cristiano) Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi, (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Franck) Ribery and (Arjen) Robben. They make the difference almost every game.’
Harzard was criticised last season by Jose Mourinho for his supposed laziness in midfield, something that Mourinho blamed for the club’s Champion’s League semi-final exit to Atletico Madrid.
The player says all that is in the past with himself and manager both happy with a start that was put them five points clear at the top of the Premier League after just seven games.
‘Maybe this has been the best start in my career so far, although it isn’t reflected in the stats,’ he added in an interview with the Telegraph. ‘I have played only one bad game – against Aston Villa. I’ve taken a good rest during my holiday, I had a short, but good pre-season and I feel really well.
‘Jose Mourinho and I get along well. I’ve lots of respect for him. He gives me a lot of confidence. After a bad game he dares to say, “We have played with 10 today”, but that’s it. At moments like that he leaves me alone.’